The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I'd never seen nor heard of Mini Tippet Rings until sold a package at the sporting goods store in Weaverville.

These are really small, smooth, seamless rings that you tie onto the end of your leader. You can then tie your tippet into the opposite side of the ring.

As you change flies and the tippet shortens, you can clip off the tippet at the ring and tie a new one on, without shortening your leader. This extends the life of the leader quite a bit.

This was quite handy in two ways.

I was able to tie on a tippet much thinner in diameter than the end of my leader without worrying about "stepping down" my diameters. I was also able to use a mono leader and flouro tippet. (I've read more than once that you should not tie a flouro tippet onto mono. Apparently the knots don't always hold well and the flouro can cut into the mono material.)

The Mini Tippet Rings are advertised as being able to float (guess they are so small and light that they don't break the surface tension) even with 7X tippet attached.

I've read that you can also drop 2 strands of tippet from a ring, that are different lengths, and create a point fly/dropper system that's easy to change. I'll be trying this in early January when I fish the San Juan in NM.

These babies are tough. I landed a 30" steelie using this system.

The Climax Mini Tippet Rings are a bit expensive, $7.00 for a package of 10, but I just found another brand (Niche Products)for half the price at:

www.jsflyfishing.com

Merry Christmas to you all and a happy and healthy 2008.

May your nets be full,
AB

Not to be a smart a$$ Bruce, but have you ever heard of loop to loop connections? I've used them for years for trout, steelhead, stripers, salmon, and even for smaller tarpon and other salties.......work fine.

Hey Charlie,

How's it goin?

I just don't like loop to loop connections. I think they're weak.

Two years ago I lost 2 hot kings when the loops broke, not the knot but the area where the loops interlocked. I was using either 15# or 20# line.

If you want to try tippet rings, I can send you a couple. Let me know.

Also, can you loop to loop mono and flouro without losing strength? Does the flouro cut into the mono?

I do use loop to loop when connecting a leader to the 30# mono loop I've nail knotted to my fly line. No problems there, but there's a lot of stretch between the loops and the end of my tippet.

more like a strangle knot- that would weaken the connection. Otherwise, it is a pretty easy connection- and yep, I'm lazy. The ring idea is a good one, but I adhere to the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principal.

Yep - that can be a common mistake - must put one loop through the other...not the end of the tippet through the loop first.

-Greg

Ah maht not be th' sharpest tool in the shed, livin' in Arizoney an' all, but ah think ah kin do a loop 2 loop.

Now, maybe I just like new bells and whistles, but these tippet rings ARE very cool!
(and easy to use)

AND, if it can handle a dropper and point fly, like touted, it could be superior to the loop 2 loop.

This still leaves the option of flouro with a mono leader, which hasn't yet been addressed.

Also, I'm tying on with Pitzen knots, which are rated 100%. I imagine that's stronger than L2L, although I don't know for sure.

OR, maybe L2L is fine for little trout dudes, but not a superior system for larger fish?

I've seen those rings online, I've always wondered who used them. The idea of tying two different length tippets to the same ring sounds like a recipe for a twisted mess if you ask me. Bobbers, beads, jigs and now little rings?

Hey Shawn,

I've been using tippet rings for over 2 years now. They are great.
One thing I like is being able to switch from say, 4x whilst nymphing,
and then quickly switch to 5x or 6x for dry flying. And for those of
us who dont use indicators, you can actually use the ring as a depth
gauge when high sticking.

They are great.

Anglernut

All I can tell you, Shawn, is so far no problems...and it makes FF life a little easier for this laaaaaaaaaaazy fly fisherman.

Merry Christmas!

Anlernut,

You said you fish the rings with a dry fly. I was actually curious about how the ring would effect a dry fly. Does the ring adversely effect the way a dry fly floats? Thanks

Yep, with all those bells and whistles, you can hear Bruce coming a mile away!


Merry Christmas Bruce!


Buzz

I don't mind if YOU hear me coming a mile away...

as long as the fish don't!

Merry Christmas my friend.